Superbowl Rings

Whatever could the title above be talking about? For those who are watching the game just for the guacamole, tacos, and fajitas, or want something to do until Downton Abbey airs later tonight — and I fall somewhere within these two camps, today is Superbowl XLVI — the Giants vs. the Patriots. Being a dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker, my cheers are for the Giants, however my interest in the game is more about the bling the winning team designs and sports after the Gatorade dries on the playing field. The NFL pays up to $5,000 per ring, after that, the owner has to pony up the rest of the funds. Some rings, as well as a few owners, are more, um, modest, while others take the craft of ring building and gem setting to whole different level. A few of the rings are intricate and well designed, while others challenge the concept of good taste. Let’s also keep in mind that this is the kind of jewelry worn by strapping football players, not elegant polo players on horseback, so the rings have to exude winning team muscle. Ring manufacturing companies vie for the privilege to create these keepsakes and three of the best known are Jostens, Herff Jones, and Balfour Company.

While doing research a few years on championship rings, I came across fascinating facts about these not-so-tiny trophies. Did you know that there are championship ring collectors who will only purchase their favorite team’s rings, or that others will seek out rings from winning teams with an unusual story, a memory of being at the game, or dark horse projection for winning? The rings can be very valuable, and have been appraised commonly from twenty to forty-five thousand dollars. Many players will not sell their rings, but there are those whose careers have taken a serious downturn — and a few of these stories are tragic — forcing them to part with a valuable trophy they worked to earn. Some players have the cost and the design of their rings stipulated in their contract. Superbowl rings are not only given to the players, but also to many who work for the team’s organization. Since this year’s Superbowl such a huge game for fans, the rings made for this championship game will be rare and costly, if they ever do come onto the secondary market. The design will be revealed in few months time, and whichever company gets the contract to manufacture them will be this year’s championship ring champion. However, I’ll only report on this if the Giants win. Only kidding.

Maybe — go Giants!

Jean Paul Gaultier Spring Couture 2012

Chanel couture Spring 2012

The bright, acid yellow for Jean Paul Gaultier had right kind of tartness. Blended with what seemed like blackened metals, it was vibrant, a little ethnic, and elegant. Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel elongated the bateau neckline for his jackets, sculpting them into lyrical and alluring shapes without making them seem too prim or overly balletic; he paired the widened collars with slender, long, shoulder dusting earrings punctuated at the bottom with tiny gems. The spare silhouette of the earrings with its extended verticality let them swing freely and added lightness to some of the longer skirts lengths. KL is a keen student of proportion and what I think he has always done best is balancing his looks without prejudice towards achieving the equilibrium whether he employs fabric or accessory; he is Machiavellian when it comes to a successful runway show. More often than not, he uses elements simultaneously. The jewelry on the Armani Prive runway had a modern totemic feel, like the kind of ornament you’d wear or pin to your coat for good luck. The snake again slithered around the necks and wrist of Armani’s models in both a literal and figurative way. In the glossary of Victorian symbolism, the snake clasping its tail represented eternity, which is why Queen Victoria’s engagement ring modeled after the ophidian. Her reality is now a quaint notion, Armani’s on the other hand is about pure seduction — with an emphasis on the sssss.….…

Armani Prive Couture Spring 2012

Armani Prive Spring Couture 2012

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards take place tonight — if there are bejeweled looks of note to report on tomorrow, then there will be a post. Or, I may tweet the news as I receive the news in my inbox tonight. Let’s see what happens, so stay tuned…:)

UPDATE 01.19.12
Lifehacker.com picked up the BBC5LIVE story today and explains exactly what HOPPER does: Hopper Is a Simple Tool for Temporarily Storing Files, Links, and Text

I’m not sure you can call it a trend when only two women wore them, the jeweled bandeau that is, however, Charlize Theron and Michelle Williams proved their charm. Even more interestingly, they were completely different versions, one in white diamonds and the other in black velvet with diamond accents. Not that long ago I purchased a lovely Swarovski version with a dark or antique diamond effect. With my boy-short hair there is a certain glamour to keeping things neat and sparkly on top, rather than accessorizing everywhere else. I like the look very much — as did my husband, which I didn’t expect.

Both Juliana Margulies in Lorraine Schwartz green jade and Julianne Moore in should dusting Fred Leighton diamonds and emeralds win my award for the best use of color in an earring. The ever fashion-cool Heidi Klum wore a wonderful neutral column dress with a bold turquoise necklace. She looked relaxed, elegant, and that sunny blue-green gave her a fabulous glow. Never underestimate the use of color in jewelry — it is statement-making without being overdramatic. Finding the right color, and/or the right shade, makes all the difference.

Let’s talk about the long-earring-and-bracelet(s) look. It was all over the red carpet and while this has been done to the point of disinterest for me, I will say that I’m never, ever bored with Sofia Vergara. If she could put her long earring appeal in a bottle and sell it she could quit Hollywood and retire. Very few women wear pendant earrings like she does. It’s as though she was born with them already affixed to her lobes. Harry Winston should hire her as their spokesperson — she exudes the kind of captivating beauty and spirited exuberance the brand could use. She was, in total, a breath of fresh air.

Finally, my last two awards go to Emma Stone and Kate Beckinsale. Stone wins the best non-bling, bling award for her Lanvin eagle belt — loved the detail with all the deep, mysterious shades of reds in her gown. Beckinsale was my absolute favorite last night — she was decked out in Lorraine Schwartz diamonds, head to toe and a GORGEOUS Roberto Cavalli gown– the earrings alone were enough to keep us watching (although one little aside that I might add is that they did remind of a pair that Beyonce wore to one of the award shows not that long ago). The entire look made me think of the Golden Age of Hollywood when costume designers dressed stars and glamour wasn’t just a look but an institution.

Image from Downton Abbey (NYT)

Dame Maggie Smith as Lady Grantham in Downton Abbey

PBS’s Downton Abbey is about a family of titled landowners — or rather due to the English laws of landowning at the time, titled but not necessarily entitled to pass ownership on to female progeny. Women do not have the vote…yet. So what do the the ladies do exactly? The ones living upstairs, as opposed to those toiling below, change their dress three to four times a day (for no apparent reason other than to keep themselves and their household staff busy) and wear jewelry that is reserved yet elegant and luxurious. These delicate pieces were the ultimate in femininity and yet were crafted by the hands of very talented men. It was a man’s world, created, ruled, and apparently, accessorized by men. It’s certainly the kind of irony that wouldn’t be lost on, or go unexpressed by Lady Grantham.

Alexandra of Denmark, later of Wales and wife to Edward VII of England

Air-light filigree was spun in strands finer than hair and crafted in a new metal called platinum. Well, not brand new, platinum had been around since before the eighteenth century, however in the first decade of the twentieth century it was made workable with the advent of the jeweler’s torch. How did platinum change our perspective? Well, it created an entirely new look for jewelry: white, elegant, expensive, and formal. When diamonds were paired with it, this created an uninterrupted river of sparkling white stones set in delicate white metal. With half the weight of their gold and silver predecessors, tiaras, colliers (dog collars), sautoirs or long chains became the order of the day. In later decades, during the 1920s and 30s, platinum and diamond or colored gemstone jewelry became the standard for glamour. Hollywood made it iconic. Prior to the twentieth century, the silver topped, gold backed settings were usually heavy in appearance; while the mounting were sturdy and strong, they dominated over the gemstone. In order to wrangle platinum into ribbons, bows, florals and garlands with steel-like strength, it needed to be alloyed with other metals. By itself the gray-white metal is brittle and stubborn to manipulate. This was also the time when diamond cutting technology improved. Electric lights dimmed the look of the large, hand cut, and carat-preserving lumpish stones with open culets (look straight down into an old mine gem and you will see a circle — that’s the culet). Once the culet was closed (see your own engagement ring for this reference), light could not escape and instead bounced internally creating the brilliant scintillation that is a diamond’s trademark.

Edwardian jewelry at www.nelsonrarities.com

Edwardian jewelry at www.nelsonrarities.com

Sophie von Hohenstein, wife of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Jason Wu for Target

The Jason Wu for Target collection drops into stores on February 5th. I offer here a little inspiration to work with this new Wu. Jewelry trends are cresting for Art Deco and Edwardian — a bit of Gatsby and Downton Abbey (I am, I admit, smitten) and the designer’s modern take on ladylike fashion works with both eras rather well. All that sleek simplicity flatters many women and speaks to a tasteful yet stylish reserve. And in case you want to call me to the mat for offering up such costly suggestions, well, I’m also tossing in a couple of pieces of Art Deco Galalith by Jakob Bengel and Auguste Bonaz, which while not inexpensive to collect, can posit an argument for contemporary jewelry that has the look and not the serious price tag.

With the exception of the Galalith pieces, the following are from the Kentshire collection:

Kentshire: A fine Art Deco, double-clip, pave diamond brooch in the form of pierced cascading lace, set with square-cut emeralds, in platinum and 18k. Maker’s mark for Rene Boivin. Circa 1925

Kentshire: An Art Deco openwork diamond and onyx brooch of stylized bow design, in platinum. C1925

Kenshire:A pair of Art Deco earrings comprised of a coral button top and an onyx and diamond segment terminating in a carved coral amphora pendant, platinum. France. c1920

Kentshire:Edwardian diamond earrings in the pagoda style with three dangling pear-shaped pendants, in platinum. c1915

Kentshire:An Edwardian festoon necklace set with three teardrop shaped pendants in emerald, and pink and blue sapphire, with white enamel and diamond detailing, in platinum. c1915

Kentshire: A superb Edwardian woven seed pearl sautoir with circular openwork diamond spacers, suspending a diamond and graduated pearl tassel, in platinum. c1915

Galalith necklace by Auguste Bonaz c.1930

Chromium-plated metal and Galalith necklace by Jakob Bengel c1932

and last, something now vintage but not very, a pair of earrings from the the last decade of the twentieth century:

Kentshire:A pair of pendant earrings comprised of amethyst and angelskin coral bead clusters set with diamonds, in 18k. Cartier, Paris. c1990

This pair of danglers struck a cord with me. They are modern and would work beautifully with Wu’s LBD. Created by Cartier in the 1990s, and while not overtly Deco, the color combination echos the flapper decade and their sleek and linear attitude remains timeless and modern.

I will be offering my thoughts about the jewelry and the dresses on the Golden Globes’ red carpet on Monday, hope you will check back then…

Republican coin circa 225–212, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Wein

Depicting two heads, one looking forward and the other backward, the motif on this ancient Roman coin represents the god of gates, doors and beginnings; he is known as Janus. The first day of the new year is dedicated to him. A Janus coin was given on the first day of the year: a gift of hope for prosperity. This is my wish for all of you, so here is a coin to start 2012 bright. There is so much to look forward to in the coming days, not to mention the approaching weeks with the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards. I hope to have lots of breaking news, maybe even a bit of my own.

Looking back to move forward, or designing jewelry that is current while being time-honored, has been a constant theme throughout the ages. The sale of the French Crown jewels in the late nineteenth century stirred a trend for elaborate eighteenth-century inspired jewelry that summoned the grandeur and opulence of the Louis’ courts. Even in paste, these ornaments were glamorous. Those who could not afford diamonds could still own something that was contemporary yet also cast as necklaces, earrings or brooches once worn by royalty.

What is more common today are marriages between remnants of old pieces and new elements: ring settings, old-cut gemstones, or wonderful details that have been intricately worked. In the 1970s and ‘80s, Bulgari took ancient Greek and Roman coins and mounted them in settings linked together with heavy gold chains. Simple in design, the look became iconic; these necklaces can fetch nearly five figures at auction. Why do we still care about the old so much so that we want to incorporate it into the new, into our wardrobes, and even our everyday lives? Where we come from, how far we have traveled in time is an integral part of our cultural thinking.

There is a beauty and symmetry to the new year and our way of celebrating it. This isn’t strictly linear in perspective. Our inner clocks are set to a more fluid way of understanding time, which is why we waffle between vintage, vintage-inspired and vintage-infused designs. Modernity is measured by inches from our past. An antique is technically defined as being one hundred years old. The delineation between jewelry that is deemed estate rather than antique can be the difference of a year. Not a terribly wide gap in time and one that gives pause to consider how we value age against other, often more important considerations, such as quality and craftsmanship. As we begin 2012, with color in jewelry trending for spring, I’m on the lookout for great, well crafted pieces, vintage with punch or contemporary with a lingering shelf life, either way I’m keeping my focus fluid: past to present, present to future. Happy New Year everyone!

Bulgari coin necklace circa 1970

In terms of the winners of this challenge, I think that Rich edged out Nina by the tiniest of margins. It wasn’t in execution or attention to detail because there they both were brilliant. And here I have to also give kudos to Brian for his pieces. His necklace, cuff bracelet, and ring told a lush and cohesive story. I’m not sure what Molly was seeing when she remarked about the black cuff looking cheap; to me, it was masterfully executed and beautifully finished. Take a closer look at the individual pieces on Lifetime’s Rate the Runway, and see if you agree.

Rich refocused our attention on what is important in jewelry, which of course is design. He made each part of that insect a focal point: the head, the body, and the wings. All at once, he cannibalized and canonized them, transforming the anatomy of entomology into something precious, like a gemstone. While the Swarovski crystals added a bit of sparkle and depth of color, the insect’s disembodied parts drew the viewer’s eye to the ornament. Watching Rich talk about his design, I was cheering. This is the kind of thinking that gave us Rene Lalique, a nineteenth century jewelry artisan (and later famous art glass manufacturer) who took insects and transformed them into dimorphic shapes and themes never conceived by nature. These Art Nouveau motifs produced exquisite jewelry that was unorthodox, sometimes repugnant, and the kind that demanded attention. It was resolutely compelling.

Rene Lalique — Gulbenkian Dragonfly enamel brooch France, c. 1897.1898. Gold enamel, chrysoprase, chalcedony, moonstone and diamond

Rene Lalique — Gulbenkian Dragonfly enamel brooch France, c. 1897.1898. Gold enamel, chrysoprase, chalcedony, moonstone and diamond

Nina took things spiderish and made arachnid poetry with them. The leggy and lyrical wire elements on her cuff were as attractive as they were original. While I have seen body ornament done well before, in particular by studio artisan Lucie Heskett-Brem of whom I am a huge fan, I haven’t observed anything as tailored or precisely draped as Nina’s necklace. The way it caressed the shoulder and was fitted almost like a sleeve made it personal, sculpted to the woman wearing it. Holiday-wise, this is the ultimate stocking stuffer, or Chanukah present. Hint, hint, honey. Loved, too, Nina’s brooch and the versatility of wearing it in the hair, or anywhere else.

Next week’s winner is anyone’s guess. The last three designers are all champions, regardless of who actually takes home the prize.

Tin-Man Brian showed his lack of heart while making his handbag, the sculptural horn handle of which required so much drilling and sanding that the workroom was like the poppy field, making people ill with flying resin particles and generally shifting the mood to one of lethargy and much pique. Then there was our lion-hearted Adrian who was trying with all his might to tame his wild design nature and find a gentler approach. Diego, our man of straw, seemed to have lost his handbag know-how. Glenda, The Good Witch of the North was played by Christina, who this week and every week has the keenest observations of the other contestants’ work as well as performs some kind of enchantment with one accessory or another. Rich, the Wizard of Oz, may appear to all as simply a high-skilled metalsmith, yet behind his beard and hammer is an artisan who has command of an original muse. And last, but not least, is our Dorothy, Nina Cortes, who wears those ruby slippers with the grace and style of someone far more experienced. She is also going to make it home to the final. And it won’t be because of her Swarovski-studded footwear but because of her rosy outlook: there’s no place like home…there’s no place like home…

Nina’s natural inclinations are always to return to who she is as a designer whether or not it works for the judges — hello, Ariel Foxman. This week she proved that she is thinking beyond the show and beyond the challenge. While I have to agree with Foxman, the back the necklace didn’t work with the neckline of her garment, I loved the idea anyway. With a backless dress, it would have draped beautifully. This is exactly what the costume designer did with that glorious Van Cleef & Arpels Zip necklace for the character of Wallis in the film, The King’s Speech. There is something to be said for a designer who thinks about a woman’s body as three-hundred-and-sixty-degree armature. Forty-five year Georg Jensen designer Vivianna Torun Bulow-Hube, known succinctly as Torun, also saw jewelry this way, and she created fantastic pieces for jazz great, Billy Holiday, and in 1992 was presented with the Prince Eugen medal by King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden. Dorothy wins our hearts because she knows who she is and where she needs to be. Nina only has to click the heels of her kicks and she finds her way back to her own aesthetic and still provides something unexpected, despite the twists and turns of the journey.

In the end, it was the kind and dignified Adrian who found the courage to accept his fate and who he is as a designer. Surprisingly, Tin-Man Brian won the challenge although his bag and bollo were more barbarian chic than KC couture, and his well-conceived and executed pieces gave us more art than heart. Commercially speaking, Nina’s collection would have been the savvier choice. One of the last two designers standing was Scarecrow Diego and he had better get his head in the game for the next challenge, or the crows won’t hesitate to pick his straw to pieces. His chande-labra earrings, the brilliance of a chandelier with the unfortunate weight of a candelabra, would be great in a lighter and wearable version. Rich’s jewelry was my favorite this week. Once the curtains were drawn, you could see how he incorporated the motif in his earrings into his necklace; there was synergy in his effort and the beautifully rendered result. The wizard may want us to see the smoke and mirrors, yet when the effects clear (or last night’s resin dust settles), there is revealed the soul of a designer.

And now it is down five. The yellow brick road awaits…